Often referred to as the "Father of Science Fiction," Jules Verne wrote his first novel, Five Weeks in a Balloon, at the age of 35. He went on to be the second most translated author on earth, writing books about a variety of innovations and technological advancements years before they were practical realities.

Re: Jules Verne was born on this day in 1828.Reply #1 - Feb 8th, 2014, 1:40pm

I've been collecting Jules Verne's books for quite a while. Mostly the Fitzroy Edition which was published in the 50s and 60s. They are abridged, and feel manageable to me. Often the Fitzroy Edition splits Verne's novels into two separate books. It's hard to say whether they are the best English translation though. That's one thing about Verne to take into consideration. Unless you are fluent in French, you will be reading a translation, and they can vary in quality. Anyway, I still haven't read them all. But every so often I love to go back to Verne.

One of the best sites in English I have found for Jules Verne collectors is http://www.julesverne.ca/. It has an extensive listing of different editions of the books with pictures, plus a lot of background on Verne himself.

I've been collecting Jules Verne's books for quite a while. Mostly the Fitzroy Edition which was published in the 50s and 60s. They are abridged, and feel manageable to me. Often the Fitzroy Edition splits Verne's novels into two separate books. It's hard to say whether they are the best English translation though. That's one thing about Verne to take into consideration. Unless you are fluent in French, you will be reading a translation, and they can vary in quality. Anyway, I still haven't read them all. But every so often I love to go back to Verne.

One of the best sites in English I have found for Jules Verne collectors is http://www.julesverne.ca/. It has an extensive listing of different editions of the books with pictures, plus a lot of background on Verne himself.

John

Some translations are better than others, even so great reads! Good find on the link!